.env.dist.local !!hot!!

file to securely store local credentials without committing them to version control.

: It prevents accidental commits of secret API keys ( .env.local is in .gitignore , while .env.dist.local is not). .env.dist.local

Frameworks like Symfony utilize a highly structured loading order for environment files to allow granular overrides. The typical loading order looks like this (with later files overriding earlier ones): .env (Base defaults) .env.dist (Global distribution fallback) file to securely store local credentials without committing

# .env.dist.local SENTRY_ENABLED=false ANALYTICS_TRACKING=false UPLOADS_STORAGE_DRIVER=local Use code with caution. .env.dist.local

Create a file named .env.dist.local in the root directory of your project. Populate it with the keys required for local development, providing dummy values or helpful comments.

For a Node.js project, you can use a simple initialization script in your package.json :